Fire Safety

URGENT WARNING: Contaminated Kerosene

What You Should Do:

Personal Fires & Burning (current as of 11/7)

Storm Debris Open Burning

Lithium Ion Batteries Fire Hazard

URGENT WARNING: Contaminated Kerosene

11/10 If you bought K-2 kerosene from Cubard Express (1426 Bencher Anderson Rd, Lenoir, NC) sinc November 10th, do not use it. Officials report it may be mixed with gasoline, creating a high risk of fire or explosion.

What You Should Do:

Stop Using the Kerosene right away to avoid any danger.
Contact Cubard Express for more information or to ask about a recall.

The kerosene is believed to have been contaminated by gasoline since Saturday evening 11/10 through at least noon on 11/13.

Due to current high fire risks and potential impacts to the air we breathe, the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency and area fire chiefs are encouraging residents to not burn storm debris and allow it to be picked up for free and disposed of by the municipality.

Personal Fires & Burning (current as of 11/7)

Many residents and businesses are turning to open burning as a means of disposal, but as our region dries out, our fire chiefs and our Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency urge community members NOT to burn. Storm debris collection is beginning, so please use the collection services that are offered. Today, debris collection trucks will be in Swannanoa, Barnardsville, and outside of Woodfin.

For storm debris that is being gathered with the intention of conducting open burning including the use of air curtain burners, permission is required by the Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency and there are certain requirements that must be met. Please contact the Agency at 828-250-6777, airquality@buncombecounty.org, or abairquality.org. Never burn synthetic materials or trash.

If you determine that you absolutely must burn, help prevent wildfires by following this guidance from our fire marshal:

Keep debris burning to small, three-foot in diameter and height piles.
Do not ever leave a fire unattended.
Have a method of extinguish a fire: water, dirt/sand, motorized equipment, or fire extinguisher.
Keep all burn areas clear of any combustible debris or vegetation.
Stay 25 feet or more from structures and all wooded areas.
We have increased this recommendation from 15 feet based our current conditions.

*This information is analyzed daily by the “fire weather forecast” as published by the NC Forest service. We are constantly monitoring the conditions and the forecast.

Reminder that burning debris is never allowed in municipalities.

Burning within Asheville city limits is never permitted.

If you must burn, the Agency would like to remind residents that the burning of leaves, brush, and yard trimmings is permitted on burning days between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., however the burning of household trash, building materials, asphaltic materials, cardboard, processed wood, and papers is always prohibited. Burning is also always prohibited in the City of Asheville. To find out if it is a burning day, please call 828-250-6767 or go to www.abairquality.org.

Storm Debris Open Burning

Under the state of emergency, and in order to dispose of material generated as a result of a natural disaster, permitting requirements for open burning storm-related debris can be waived. Permission is required, and a request can be made by providing written notification to the Director of Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency Ashley Featherstone that there is no other practical method of disposal of the waste. The request should also include the type of material being burned, an approximate amount, the location of the burning, and nature of the combustible sources.

Recent legislation passed by the State of North Carolina states that the following storm debris materials are allowed to be burned from now until March 31, 2025:

Any solid and engineered wood products
Vegetative land-clearing debris
Yard trash (solid waste consisting solely of vegetative matter resulting from landscaping maintenance)

The Director will not grant permission for the burning if the primary purpose of the fire is to dispose of synthetic materials, refuse, or recovery of salvageable materials. Materials NOT allowed to be burned include inert debris such as asphalt shingles, tar paper, insulation, drywall, concrete, bricks or glass, tires, wire, plastics, refuse, dangerous, or hazardous materials.

Burning of storm debris must comply with the following conditions:

Wind direction at the time of the burning and forecasted that day by the National Weather Service is away from any area, including public roads with 250 feet.
The location of the burning is at least 500 feet from any occupied dwelling or commercial structure not located on the property on which the burning is conducted.

A signed, written statement waving objections to the burning from residents within 500 feet may be obtained and the exception must be granted by the Director

Initial burning begins only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and no combustible material is added to the fire from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. the following day.
No fires are initiated or vegetation is added to existing fires when the North Carolina Forest Service or a Buncombe County Fire Marshall has banned burning for that area.
No fires are initiated or vegetation is added to existing fires when the Agency’s air quality forecast area has been forecasted by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality to be in an Air Quality Action Day Code “Orange or above.
To find out if it is a burning day, please call 828-250-6767 or go to www.abairquality.org.

Reminder that burning debris is never allowed in municipalities.

Burning within Asheville city limits is never permitted.

Lithium Ion Batteries Fire Hazard

Please notify your local fire department if you believe that lithium-ion batteries that might have been exposed to flooding are in your home or garage, especially those found in devices such as E-bikes, golf carts and electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries that have been exposed to possible damage need to be properly disposed of.

• Place flood damaged lithium-ion powered products in metal or non-combustible tubs and keep at least 6 feet away from debris and structures.

• Do not put lithium-ion battery-powered products in with storm debris for pick up.

• Never put lithium-ion batteries inside garbage or recycle carts or bins.